CURRENT MODERATORS

Julie - posted on 03/03/2010

I do understand a bit better...so thank you. I am sort of new to the community, so I haven't seen the posts of people recommending formula like that. I wouldn't want people to do that either. I am wondering if you could put more detail to that in the guidelines. Explain that many people were recommending formula for sore nipples and latch issues etc. and that you want people to suggest methods of continuing to breastfeed rather then suggesting formula because it would not be necessary in that case.

Also, I think that in a community like this people realize that we are all not professionals. In a way I think it should be left up to the community to express their opinions and people need to take it for what it is worth. It is the same that would happen to people in person. I doubt that the person who made that post about sore nipples would do the bottle of formula just because that woman said to. I haven't seen that thread, but I would almost guarantee that there is another post of a mom disagreeing with the other mom about giving the formula. It would then make the original poster come up with her own opinion. Just like in person where someone might tell you something and another person might say something different.

This all started because a post of mine was deleted. I was basically asking if anyone gives their babies formula for non-medical reasons. I obviously didn't read the guidelines so I wasn't upset at all about it being deleted. I was more disappointed. The reason I asked the question was because my husband was wanting me to give my daughter formula to hold her over longer because she feeds so often. I knew I was not going to give her formula and my husband knows that but it got me wondering if people do that. What better place to ask when I am curious about something like that. I felt like this was a place I could ask any questions about breastfeeding, so I was disappointed that I couldn't ask something that I was wondering about. In a case like that, I believe it should be left up to the community. I was not asking people their expert advice...only what their experience was.

No matter what, I am satisfied with your responses and will continue to use this site. I only ask that you consider my thoughts, because I am sure I am not the only one who feels this way. Thank you!!!

Nicole - posted on 03/02/2010

The guidelines are not to keep women who supplement with formula out of the community or threads. Nor is it to stop someone from talking about formula altogether. The guideline was put in place because too many mothers were recommending formula to other mothers who were not asking about formula. i.e. "My baby is eating every 30 minutes and my nipples are SO sore. Please help!" Reply from another mom: "Oh, you need to give your nipples a break and it sounds like you're not making enough milk. You should try giving a bottle. I gave my baby some formula and she went a whole 4 hours before being hungry again!" Well, this woman would be having latch on issues and, in most cases like this, formula is completely unnecessary. Not to mention very harmful to the breastfeeding itself. If a baby is failure to thrive, like in your case, giving formula becomes medically necessary and that is NOT a bad thing. But, again, formula was being recommended far more often than what is usually "medically necessary". Again, it is not against guidelines to TALK about formula, it is against the guidelines to RECOMMEND formula or suggest early weaning. This way, mothers get counseling with "breastfeeding" in a "breastfeeding" community. Supplemental feeding is accepted, but telling an exclusive breastfeeding mom to supplement is not.

I am sorry you had a hard time breastfeeding, but failure to thrive is a serious issue and supplementation can be crucial and no mother who TRIED unsuccessfully to breastfeed should EVER feel bad or like a failure.

*Fluffy Bunnies - posted on 03/02/2010

The reason I believe that Chelsea made that a guideline is because when a mom put a question up about a breastfeeding problem like low supply (not no supply), latch issues, biting, etc. many moms would recommend she just give formula. It was very discouraging. If a mom has an issue where it takes a few weeks for their milk to come in or some other medical reason to supplement then she should and that is stated in the guidelines (when asked to not suggest formula for NON-medical reasons).

Julie - posted on 03/02/2010

I love this community for being able to ask my millions of questions about breastfeeding. I was so happy to find it. Everyone is very helpful. While I appreciate the fact that this community is about solely breastfeeding, I believe that conversations about supplemental feedings should be accepted. I am 100% an advocate of solely breastfeeding, but after having to supplement my first daughter I had to accept the fact that formula was o.k. I struggled with accepting that and stressed a lot about it. When my first daughter was first born I was determined to breastfeed. I felt it was the one thing that I could do for my daughter that no one else could. The first three weeks after she was born she didn't even gain an ounce. I wasn't making enough milk and it took me that long to finally realize I didn't have any other choice then to give her formula. I kept doing everything possible to get my milk to come in and felt so guilty that I was giving her the formula. I worked with a lactation consultant and she tried to help me accept the formula feeding. She became more aware of the fact that she was even sending mixed messages. If you are constantly telling people that breastfeeding is best and that it is the best thing you do for your child, you can't then say to not feel bad if you have to give your child formula. You did state it respectfully that you do not encourage or recommend formula, but I feel that conversations and questions about supplemental feedings should be accepted. Let the members state their opinions about solely breastfeeding.

I suggest that you maybe change the guideline to state that you encourage exclusively breastfeeding instead of not recommending formula for non-medical reasons. That way it doesn't make formula sound like a 'wrong' thing.

I work closely with a lactation consultant and we have talked about this. We believe that having a forum like this where you can't even discuss supplemental feeding will discourage people from breastfeeding all together. Breastfeeding is not all or nothing. We encourage people to at least breastfeed some instead of exclusively bottle feeding.

This is something I feel strongly about and will peruse this as much as I can. If I am miss-understanding something please explain it to me. I did contact Chelsea and Rebecca, but I saw this thread and thought it was a good place to bring it up.

Nicole - posted on 02/28/2010

Wow April that is an awesome idea!!! Why didn't I think of that one?



Hannah, I did look through unsuccessfully to find your post. I am sorry. I don't think "hot topics" are causing most of the problem. I think April hit on it. This is a very large community and women are asking frequent/common questions a lot and it can be quite redundant.



I will think start working on a "frequently asked questions" thread now. I will have one up by tomorrow.



Thank you both for your ideas. Since I am working on breastfeeding handouts for work right now anyway. =)

April - posted on 02/28/2010

i am with Hannah on this. I was thinking about suggesting that a thread be made for "FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS" .

Many of the topics are redundant because posters do not want go through thousands of pages in order to see if their question was already asked before.

1.Help my baby will not take a bottle is a common question
2. My breastfed baby hasn't pooped in 9 days, is this normal? (very common)
3. When will my breastfed baby sleep through the night? (very common)
4. Is it normal not to have a period/When will I get my period, etc..

these are just a few ideas!!

Hannah - posted on 02/26/2010

Dear Moderators,
can you please close discussion after ample debate/answers have been posted? I mean 50 answers should be plenty. I ask this because I sometimes have to post topics 2 or 3 times to even get 1 response. This is beacuse no one looks past the 1st page, and that 1st page always seems to be filled up with "hot topics." Just last night I posted something that was on the 1st page for a whole 5 minutes before being overtaken. Please look into this!

Thank you!

Chelsea - posted on 02/24/2010

Here is the link to the group:

http://apps.facebook.com/circleofmoms/e_...

Go to that and then click Join

Kathy - posted on 02/24/2010

apparently i'm doing something wrong! please help! lol

Chelsea - posted on 02/22/2010

It's a closed group so you have to Join and then wait for approval. I haven't seen you on the list to be approved or denied. Can you try to join and then I can approve you?

Chelsea

Kathy - posted on 02/22/2010

i get a note that says access denied